Abstract
Access to quality education for children with special needs (CSWN) in Indonesia's indigenous communities remains constrained by geographic isolation, weak inclusive infrastructure, low teacher competence, and social stigma. This community service program, titled "Action Research on Technical Assistance for the Implementation of Inclusive Education in Indigenous Communities: Efforts toward Equitable Access to Quality Education," was implemented in Kampung Adat Kuta, Karangpaningal Village, Tambaksari District, Ciamis Regency, West Java, using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach that engages the village government, traditional leaders, schools, teachers, parents, and the wider community as active partners. As of this progress report, the program has completed its preparation and consolidation phase, comprising team formation, a baseline survey of 97 households, initial identification of 13–15 school-age children with special needs, and an infrastructure-readiness audit of three partner elementary schools. The baseline data show that only 15.4% of the identified children with special needs currently access formal education, while 73.2% of households still hold negative stigma toward disability. Formal licensing and customary deliberation processes with traditional leaders are underway, alongside the drafting of an inclusive-education guidebook and a written customary agreement on the educational rights of children with special needs. These preparatory achievements provide a solid foundation for the forthcoming implementation phase, which will focus on teacher training, YouTube-based adaptive learning media, and long-term mentoring to build a sustainable, culturally responsive model of inclusive education.